Cirth

Cirth [ˈkirθ] was invented by J.R.R. Tolkien for use
in his novels. It is modelled on the Anglo-Saxon Runic
alphabet, and is used to write the language of the Dwarves (Khuzdul)
in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
in inscriptions in wood and stone. It is also used as a
alternative alphabet for English.

Internal history

In Tolkein's Middle-earth the Cirth script, or Certhas Daeron,
is created by an elf called Daeron, the minstrel of king Thingol
of Doriath. It was later expanded and became known as Angerthas
Daeron. The Dwarves adopted Cirth to write their language, Khuzdul,
as its straight lines were better suited to curving in hard surfaces
than the more curved Tengwar letters. Cirth was used by some men
and orcs.

Notable features

Type of writing system: alphabet

Direction of writing: left to right in horizontal lines

The phonetic values of the letters vary for different languages

Dots are used to separate words

Used to write: Dwarfish (Khuzdul), Elvish, (Quenya and Sindarin), Orcish, English

Cirth

Notes

Where letters have two transcriptions, the first is the older version and the second the newer